Machine for destroying potato-bugs.



No. 799,242. PATBNTED SEPT. 12, 1905. W. C. KLUNDER & J. E. STOBBE. MACHINE FOR DESTROYING POTATO BUGS.

APPLICATION FILED XOYJZ, 1904.

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No. 799,242. PATENTED SEPT. 12, 1905. W. C. KLUNDER & J. E. STOBBE. MACHINE FOR DESTROYING POTATO BUGS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 22, 1904.

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wh/wom ansi/ny? No. 799,242. PATENTED SEPT. 12, 1905. W. C. KLUNDER & J. E. STOBBE. MACHINE FOR DESTROYING POTATO BUGS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 22, 1904.

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WILLIAM C. KLUNDER AND JACOB E. S'IOBBE, OF MONTAGUE, MICHIGAN.

MACHINE FOR DESTROYING POTATO-BUGS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 12, 1905.

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Be it known that we, WIILLIAMC. KLUNDER and JACOB E. S'roBn, citizens of the United States, residing' at'Montague, in the county of Muskegon and State of Michig'an, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Destroying' Potato-Bugs; and we do declare the following'to be a full, clear,

and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to machines for destroying potato-bug's; and one of the objects of the same is to provide a light, strong, and eiiicient implement to be drawn along between the rows of potatoes by a sing'le draftanimal and to provide a pan or tray to slide i These and other objects are attained by means of the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawmgs, 1n which- Figure 1 is a plan view of a machine conl structed in accordance with our invention, the drivers seat being removed from the frame. Fig'. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same on thelineQ` Q, Fig'. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the pan or tray and the traveling carrier mounted therein. Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view of one of the brushes or brooms. Fig. 5

is a perspective view of the drivers seat, its I standard, and a clutch-lever mounted therein.

Fig. 6 is a similar view of a support for a lifting-chain for raising the pan or tray and hook-rods for elevating the brushes; and Fig. 7 is a transverse section through the pan and brushes. the endless carrier being removed.

Referring to the drawings for a more particular description of our invention, the numeral 1 designates a frame comprising' parallel side bars 2, a curved front bar 3, and a rear cross-bar 4. The frame 1 is mounted upon an axle 5, journaled in bearings 6 upon the frame, and upon the outer ends of the axle 5 traction-wheels 7 are mounted. A clutch 8 upon the shaft 5 is adapted to be drawn into and out of engagement by means Yframe-bars 2.

of a lever 9, pivoted at lO upon the curved standard 11, bolted to the frame 1 at 12. A drivers seat 13 is secured at the top of the standard 11. A pair of shaft-s let are secured at their rear ends to clips on the axle 5, and a cross-bar 15, extending' between the shafts, carries a swingletree 16, said cross-bar being' suitably braced by the diagonal braces 17.

A sheet-metal tray 18 of a width substantially corresponding to the distance between two rows of potato-vines and adapted to be drawn over the ground between said rows consists of a depressed central portion 19 and outwardly-inchned side portions 20, the front portion of said tray extending upwardly and provided with a hinged portion 21. The tray or pan 1S is pivoted under the frame 1 upon a rod 22. An endless carrier 28 is mounted to move in the depressed portion 19 of the tray or pan 18, said endless carrier comprising the drive-chains 24 and the transverse scrapers '25, said scrapers adapted to elevate the bugs brushed ofil the vine into said tray by suitable revolving' brushes, presently to be described. The d rive-chains 24 pass around sprocketwheels Q6, secured to shafts 27, mounted in suitable bearings 28, rising' from the pan or tray 18. ,Revolving brushes 29 are journaled in frames 30, hinged at 31 to the The brushes 29 are secured to an angle-iron core, through which passes a shaft 33, said shaft being' journaled in bearings 3l at the opposite ends of the brush-frames 30. These revolving brushes are adapted to knock the bugs ofi' the vines into the tray or pan 18, and then the bugs are conveyed b v the carrier 23 up the inclined portion of the tray and deposited between a pair of crushing-rollers 35, suitably journaled in the frame of the machine and driven by a drive-chain 36, passing' over a sprocket 37 on one of the roller-shafts, said chain also passing' over a sprocket-wheel 38, carried by a shaft 39, provided with oppositely-disposed bevel-gears 40, which mesh with similar gears 1, carried upon the shafts 1Q, journaled in parallel relation upon the frame of the machine, said shafts et?. carrying suitable sprocket-wheels to engag'e chains 43 for driving' the revolving brushes 2.9. 'lhe brush-frames 30 may be raised and lowered by means of hook-rods (n, connected at their ends to a brush-frame and to a standard 45. The tray or pan 18 is also adjustable vertically at its rear end by means of a lever L16, connected to a chain 457, secured at its oppo- IOO site end to the rear end portion of the tray or pan 18 and passing over a pulley on the standard 45. The tray or pan 18 may be provided with suitable adjustable side portions 48. In order to prevent the bugs from being thrown over the tray by means of the brushes, we have provided suitable canvas curtains 4:9, which are properly7 disposed relatively to the brushes. These curtains are suitably sustained upon metal frames, as shown.

The operation of our implement may be described as follows: The machine is drawn between two rows of potato-vines by means of a suitable draft-animal. The clutch 8 having been shifted by the lever 9, the brushes 29 are revolved in the direction indicated by the arrows to sweep the bugs off the vines into the tray 18, where they are carried, by means of the carrier 28, up and deposited between the rollers 35, where they are crushed and thrown to the ground to be utilized as afertilizer. The rollers 85 are revolved by means of the connecting-gears 85', actuated by the chain 35", passing around a sprocket-wheel on the end of shaft a and a similar sprocket-wheel on the end of the shaft of the outer roller 35. Suitable Scrapers are provided for cleaning the rollers 35.

From the foregoing it will be obvious that a machine made in accordance with our invention will be comparatively simple and inexpensive, not liable to get out of order, is reliable and eiiicient in use, and may be managed by a single person.

Various changes in the shape, proportions, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing' from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention. I

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isy The herein-described machine for destroying potato-bugs, comprising'a frame mounted upon wheels, revolving brushes journaled in an adjustable frame and consisting of angleirons, clamping-bars for clamping the brushes in place, said brushes adapted to be revolved oppositely to sweep the bugs from the vines, and a centrally-disposed tray, an endless carrier traveling therein and adapted to carry the bugs upwardly, chains and levers for adjusting said tray vertically, rollers for crushing the bugs and curtains suspended above the trayfor preventing the bugs from being swept off the tray, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WV. (l. KLUNDER. J ACOB E. STOBBE.

Yitnessesz S. H. VVA'rsoN, CORNELIA VVATsoN. 

